


Stir Fry Shenanigans

by JazzRaft



Series: kitchen disasters [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-25 19:51:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20031415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JazzRaft/pseuds/JazzRaft
Summary: Nyx says that he knows what he's doing. He either truly believes that, or he's lying to the both of them, because the smell from the stir fry suggests otherwise.





	Stir Fry Shenanigans

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Aithilin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aithilin/gifts).

> A [tumblr prompt fill](https://jazzraft.tumblr.com/post/186568406882/nyxnoct-are-you-sure-you-know-what-youre) from a list of [kitchen disasters](https://jazzraft.tumblr.com/post/186452779569/kitchen-disasters) for [aithilin](https://aithilin.tumblr.com/)!

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Absolutely,” Nyx lied. “Don’t worry about a thing, little king.”

Noctis scoffed at the rhyme, whether it was intended or not, but he could still feel the tender points of a smile threatening his face. Nyx didn’t need to know just how much he loved it, just like Noctis didn’t need to know how much Nyx was bullshitting right now. (They both knew the truth.)

Stir fry was not Nyx’s specialty, no matter how much he boasted that cooking fast and hot had never been a problem for him before. This claim was usually supported by a devilish little wink in Noct’s direction, one he had a hard time pretending didn’t cause some sort of chemical reaction to erupt steam up from his toes all the way to the tips of ears. He was certain that was a part of Nyx’s strategy to distract Noctis from the truth. Because once he cooled off, he had no problem remembering that Nyx really didn’t have any clue what he was doing.

“I’ve watched people do this a hundred times,” Nyx said in a lazy drawl, drenched with a professionalism that Noctis knew full well was an act. “It’s one of the easiest ways to prepare food in the world.”

“Watching and doing are two very different things, hero.”

“Can’t learn if you don’t study!”

“Or practice?”

“Or practice. Especially on such a lovely and willing volunteer.”

Noctis didn’t know about the “willing” part (nor the “lovely” part, but he squashed that blush just as quickly as it burned up).

Nyx dashed some oil into the pan and somehow set it on fire. Noctis wasn’t sure it was supposed to do that, but Nyx’s smile was nearly manic with confidence, so he didn’t have the heart to voice his doubts. He just touched on the magic ready and willing to fly to his fingertips should something go wrong. It might be time that Blizzard spell found itself a practical application.

He’d watched Ignis stir fry a hundred times before when meetings at the Citadel ran long and they needed a quick dinner whipped together before bedtime. His friend certainly made it _look_ easy for all those years, but Noctis had tried it once and thought it was anything but. Especially the theatrical flip of meet and veggies that Ignis had down to an art-form worthy of professional how-to shows on network television.

Nyx’s method of homemade cooking had always been low and slow, in Noct’s experience. At least when he had the privilege of time to take with his food. Otherwise, it was rushed reheats in the microwave or three-ingredient “quick and easy” meals that he found on the internet. But when he had Noctis over, Nyx always wanted to treat him better than his hasty, low-income lifestyle treated him.

This usually came in the form of cozy casseroles of spiced meats and melty cheese baked for hours in the oven. Or beautiful browned barbecue roasted on the rooftop grills of his friends’ homes, carefully cured from old family recipes brought to Insomnia from Galahd. Time was just as important an ingredient as any of spice blends or sauces, and just like Nyx himself, it was always worth the wait.

Noctis sighed now, watching Nyx’s arms flex over pan and tongs, gleaming bronze above the stovetop flame as it hissed and spit beneath his hand like a coeurl coming to heel. If the food itself didn’t taste good, at least the view could sate his appetite.

“If you get burned, I’m not covering for you when people ask,” he teased. “No ‘he got it saving a kitten from a burning building’ story for you.”

“Nope, I got it saving a beautiful prince from starvation. Even better.”

Noctis chuckled, shaking his head. He sat in Nyx’s armchair, watching his broad back expand and contract with every movement through the tiny corner of his kitchen. Noctis could already smell something starting to burn and thought he spotted some nervous sweat building on the back of Nyx’s neck, but he bit his lip to keep himself from teasing and held out hope that the glaive could make it work. Nyx was nothing if not determined, after all.

“Gonna go easy on the veggies, right?” Noctis tossed out.

“It’s not stir fry without a little veg, Noct. It’s just meat and sauce, otherwise.”

“What’s your point?”

Nyx snorted, shaking out some of his nerves that he was pretending weren’t there. Noctis smiled to himself the more he relaxed, and patiently waited to taste the final product. It was only a few minutes more of a cackling pan and a few thinly veiled curse words before Nyx presented him with a colorful plate including all the major food groups – rice for grains, daggerquil for meat, peppers for vegetables – one of the few Noctis didn’t outright abhor.

The meat was a little black in places and the peppers were a little mushy, but Noctis had never really been picky about consistency. If it tasted good, that was all that mattered. And of course, it tasted fine – when he cut off the burnt bits.

Nyx chewed on a mouthful, his face changing with every motion of his jaw to gauge whether or not he liked his own creation. It was only after he glanced at Noct’s satisfied munching that he decided he didn’t hate it, all doubt clearing away with a cocky little smirk and an “I told you so.”

“Uh huh, you’re a culinary genius,” Noctis said, thick with sarcasm. “I was a fool to have ever doubted you.”

“Hmm, not sure I feel vindicated yet. You might have to find another way to make it up to me.”

Noctis gave him a long-suffering look that didn’t last long before succumbing to the suggestive smirk on Nyx’s face. He ducked his head back to his plate and pretended that still didn’t _do_ things to him. Nyx knew it did, just like Noct knew he couldn’t cook stir fry, but they both pretended that they didn’t just to keep each other happy. They didn’t have to say what they already knew to each other, they would always know it anyways.

Nyx pecked a cheek against Noct’s temple. “Thanks for believing in me, Noct.”

Noctis blushed. “You left the stove on, idiot.”


End file.
